Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many times the Child Maintenance Service has taken formal action against an employer that has failed to meet the requirements of a deduction of earnings order in each of the last three years.

Child Maintenance Group policy allows for its Financial Investigation Unit to attempt to try and establish compliance in all cases before looking to see if the case may be prosecutable.

If the employer does not comply immediately a warning of Interview Under Caution and possible prosecution is sent. It is only after this notice expires that a notice that we intend to carry out an Interview Under Caution is sent, which would signal prosecution even if the employer then complies.